Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament Johana Ngeno, George Were, a pilot, Amos Kipngetich Rotich and Nick Koskei have died following a helicopter crash in Chepkiep, Mosop constituency, Nandi County.

According to authorities, the helicopter, registration number 5Y-DSB, was attempting an emergency landing before it caught fire.

Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Samuel Ndanyi, an Assistant Inspector General of Police, told The Standard that two additional bodies are yet to be identified.

“The helicopter had briefly stopped due to bad weather and later took off again,” he said.

Nandi County Police Commander Samuel Mukuusi said the incident occurred at around 4:45 pm but declined to provide further details, noting that investigations had commenced.

Sources within the security sector told The Sunday Standard that the helicopter was forced to land at Chepkiep due to heavy rainfall. However, the pilot reportedly took off after the rain subsided.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the aircraft had departed from Nairobi on Saturday morning, making a stop in Mararienda, where the MP had gone to assist in the search for two men swept away by floods last Sunday night.

The lawmaker later attended the 35th anniversary celebration of an artist known as Kim Kim around midday before flying to Entebbe for another event.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei and Tinderet MP Julius Melly were among the first leaders to arrive at the crash site, alongside officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, to assess the situation.

Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.

Following Ngeno’s death, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula appointed a team led by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, assisted by Mugambi Rindikiri and eight other members, to liaise with the family, coordinate support, and organise burial arrangements in line with the family’s wishes.

“On behalf of the House, the Parliamentary Service Commission and on my own behalf, I convey our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the late Ng’eno, as well as to the families of the other passengers we have lost,” Wetang’ula said in his condolence message.

Ngeno, popularly known as “Ngong,” was serving his third term in Parliament. He was a fiery and often controversial politician, known for frequent run-ins with the law and his party leadership. He was first elected on a KNC ticket, later served under KANU, and joined UDA in 2022.

He had represented the constituency since 2013 and was re-elected in 2017 and 2022, serving his third term at the time of his death.

Before joining politics, Ngeno served as a director at the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) between 2008 and 2012.

He was a fierce defender of the Kipsigis community in Narok and frequently clashed with successive Narok governors over land rights and the Mau Forest evictions.

In Parliament, he chaired the Housing Committee in the National Assembly, where he oversaw matters related to the Affordable Housing Programme. In the volatile Trans Mara South region, marked by historical land grievances and heightened tensions, Ngeno often found himself at the centre of conflict.

He portrayed himself as a staunch defender of his constituents, while critics viewed him as a disruptor of the status quo — a politician who thrived on confrontation.

On April 28, 2025, violent clashes erupted in Angata Barrikoi following a government-led land demarcation exercise. Six people, including a child, were killed as Kipsigis residents clashed with General Service Unit (GSU) officers.

Amid the chaos, Ngeno was captured on camera, wielding a traditional Maasai rungu and confronting armed officers.

“Why are you killing people? What do you want here?” he was heard shouting as police officers retreated, wary of the agitated crowd and the recording devices.

To his supporters within the Kipsigis community, this moment embodied Ngeno at his most defiant — a grassroots politician unafraid to challenge state authority.